Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief

By: Wendelin Van Draanen

Narrated by: Tara Sands

The debut mystery that kicked off the popular series about a live-wire girl detective, this Edgar Allan Poe Award-winning story takes place in Sammy's neighborhood - right across the street from her grandmother's apartment, in fact.

While looking out the window with her grandma's binoculars, Sammy witnesses a crime across the street at the Heavenly Hotel. What's worse, the thief saw her spying! As Sammy attempts to find the burglar who has made several other hits in the neighborhood, she finds herself trying to keep him from uncovering her - or worse, the police discovering that she's living illegally with her grandmother in the seniors-only housing!

A modern-day Nancy Drew, the saucy, smart Sammy Keyes is a sleuth whose escapades entertain and inspire teens.

©1998 Wendelin Van Draanen Parsons (P)2000 Live Oak Media

Critic reviews

"The solution will likely come as a surprise, and the sleuth delights from start to finish." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Children will admire Sammy's inadvertent genius for ruffling feathers as much as they'll like her sharp powers of observation and deduction; she is a tough new gumshoe with another caper scheduled for fall." ( Kirkus Reviews)

From a Christian perspective

I love the Sammy Keys stories. It could have done without the astrology and all the lying throughout the story. Sends the message that telling lies is fine.

Great Family Listening

My kids aged 12, 9 and 7 were enthralled with this book. Each breakfast they scrambled to the table eagerly awaiting the next chapter and cried for more (though school was starting soon!) Great book and great listening!

Fun read for young kids!

My daughters (8 & 7) were hooked on this book while we drove cross-country. It's funny, heartfelt and suspenseful. The characters are quirky and performed very well by Ms. Sands.

I loved this

This book got me binging the entire series and cried when it ended I love this.

Sammy Keyes, Kid detective

Would you listen to Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief again? Why?

I would and I have.

If you’ve listened to books by Wendelin Van Draanen before, how does this one compare?

This was actually my first, but not my last.

Have you listened to any of Tara Sands’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not had the pleasure. But I did enjoy her performance. Its hard to find a good reader for young stories. She was very good.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I felt for Sammy, having to sneak in and out of her grand-mother's apartment. and how her mother is not actually behaving as a mother should.

Any additional comments?

Great story, I look forward to other of this series.

Very cute book!

This was a really fun story to listen too while on a road trip with my kids. My girls (12 & 10) both liked the story and I did as well. It moved along well and stayed interesting. When they thought they wanted to take a break from the book and do something else, they would would want to continue listening. Will definitely get the next one in the series for another road trip

loved

I read this book as a kid. It was great to share this with my daughters.

I DID THIS FOR SCHOOL

I personaly dont like this book. the only reason I listened to it was because my teacher assigned me to use this book for a mystery book report. But without being said, its a good mystery book for 5th grade and under. I myself am in 5th grade and without audible it would of took me much longer to complete if I read the book my teacher gave me. If you yourself have to do a book report and sont have the time to read out of a book all the time I would highly recomend audible for anyone doing a school project